48Serena couldn’t believe what she had just learned as she stormed away from Allvar. The shock, anger, and frustration bubbled inside her, threatening to spill over. 'How could this be possible?' She fumed, her heart racing. Her hands trembled as she pulled out her phone, desperately dialing Derek’s number. He needed to know this immediately.The phone rang once. Twice. Then five times. Each ring grated on her already frayed nerves. By the tenth ring, Serena was practically seething.Finally, Derek answered, his voice sharp and irritated. “What now, Serena? You can’t keep calling me every time someone says something you don’t like!”Serena’s jaw tightened. “Derek, listen—”“No! I’m sick of this!” he cut her off, his voice rising with pent-up frustration. “Every single time, you expect me to drop everything and clean up your messes. Well, guess what? I’m dealing with my own shit too! Do you think I enjoy getting dragged into your drama every other day? We’re both drowning because o
49Derek stood frozen, the phone slipping slightly in his grip as his mind tried to process Serena's words. How? How did this happen? His stomach twisted in disbelief. Allvar Falck—'that' poor excuse for a man—was now the head of international expansion at Waterfall Corporation? He had paid off everyone necessary to ensure Allvar would never land a job again, especially not with a company as prominent as Waterfall. 'Marcus Vale', Derek thought bitterly. 'That bastard was supposed to take care of this.'Fury bubbled to the surface, hot and uncontrollable. His face flushed as his thoughts spiraled, and without hesitation, Derek furiously jabbed at his phone, dialing Marcus’s number.The phone barely rang once before Marcus answered, his voice dripping with contempt. “Derek Hawthorne. What the hell do you want?”“You want to tell me why the fuck Allvar is working at Waterfall?!" Derek spat, pacing back and forth, his hand clenched tightly around the phone. “I paid you to make sure th
50Derek stared at the now silent phone, his pulse pounding in his ears. Everything was falling apart faster than he could manage. Allvar had gotten the upper hand, and Marcus had turned into an unexpected liability.His mind was spinning—this wasn’t supposed to happen. Marcus was out, Allvar had won a high-profile job, and everything was spiraling out of his control.But the worst part? He hadn’t just failed to keep Allvar down. He’d made him stronger.Derek swore under his breath. “Damn it,” he muttered, clenching his fists. There had to be something he could do. 'Anything.'Just as he began pacing, trying to force his brain to think of a solution, a sharp knock at his office door snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts.“Who is it?” he barked, his patience running thin.Fiona, his ever-persistent assistant, stepped in cautiously. Her usual crisp confidence was tinged with anxiety as she took in Derek’s disheveled state. “Mr. Hawthorne, are you alright? You look—”“Not now, Fiona,
51Derek’s heart skipped a beat. If what Dean was saying was true, this could be the leverage he needed to take Allvar down once and for all. “Why are you telling me this? What’s in it for you?”Dean’s voice was casual, almost playful. “Let’s just say Allvar’s success doesn’t exactly align with my interests either. We both stand to gain if we can knock him down a peg.”Derek’s mind was spinning, weighing the risks and rewards. He didn’t trust Dean—he never had—but if this information was real…“Alright,” Derek said, his voice firm. “What do you want in exchange?”“Nothing much,” Dean replied, the smirk evident in his tone. “Just a little favor down the line. I’ll let you know when the time comes.”Derek’s stomach twisted. He didn’t like owing anyone, least of all Dean. But if this was his chance to regain control, he had no choice. “Fine. What’s the information?”There was a pause, and then Dean’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Check Allvar’s contract with Waterfall. Specifically, the c
52The following week, Allvar found himself sitting across from his father and Mr. Lorentz in the expansive, sunlit study. A gentle breeze flowed through the open window, rustling the meticulously arranged papers on the desk. Allvar fidgeted with his coffee cup, glancing from his father to the butler, feeling a mix of anticipation and apprehension.“Dad, can we talk about something?” Allvar began, hesitating for a moment. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the company… and what I want to do with it.”Leonard Falck looked up from his notes, a spark of interest in his eyes. “Of course, Allvar. What’s on your mind?”“Well, for starters,” Allvar said, crossing his arms, “I want to understand more about our conglomerate. I mean, I know we’re big, but I didn’t realize how big until I started digging into the reports. Can you give me a rundown of what we actually own?”Mr. Lorentz straightened, leaning slightly closer. “A solid question, young master. Knowledge of your assets is crucial.” “Ri
53 They walked down the long marble hallway, crossing several guards who stood at attention as they passed. Allvar couldn’t help but notice the sheer luxury of everything around him. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their lights dancing on the pristine floors. Expensive art adorned the walls, each piece more extravagant than the last."Does everything in this house have to be so... over-the-top?" Allvar muttered, half to himself.Lorentz glanced at him, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Your father likes to keep things grand. It's part of the image, young master."Allvar rolled his eyes but stayed silent as they continued down the corridor, finally reaching a set of large double doors at the far end. Lorentz unlocked the doors with a swipe of a key card, and they stepped outside, the sun warming Allvar’s skin. A paved path stretched ahead, lined with carefully trimmed hedges, and at the end of it, the garage loomed.They passed a few more guards, all wearin
54Allvar slid into the driver’s seat of the fiery red Ferrari, the leather cool beneath him. Mr. Lorentz took the passenger seat with a composed nod, fastening his seatbelt as Allvar stared at the sleek dashboard in awe. “This thing is unreal,” Allvar muttered, running his hands along the steering wheel.“Ferrari’s craftsmanship is unmatched,” Lorentz said, glancing out the window. “But, of course, it’s not just about the car—it’s about how you handle it.”Allvar chuckled, firing up the engine with a throaty roar that echoed through the garage. “I guess we’ll find out.”As they pulled out of the estate and onto the wide, winding road that led down the hill, Allvar felt a surge of adrenaline. He eased the car onto the road, the engine purring as they left the estate behind. It was still early, and the morning sun bathed the street in golden light.“You’re doing well, young master,” Lorentz said calmly, watching Allvar’s movements. “But remember, these cars respond to even the slighte
55“You don’t know a damn thing about me,” Allvar said, his voice low but steady, trying to keep his cool.The man in front of him, Mark, looked surprised for a second, but quickly his smirk returned. “Really?” Mark scoffed. “You’re just some spoiled rich kid, right? Got everything handed to you on a silver platter, and now you think driving a car like this makes you somebody? News flash, you’re nobody.”Allvar’s jaw clenched, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel. He knew this type of guy all too well—the ones who preyed on others' insecurities just to feel better about themselves. But Allvar wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction.Before Allvar could respond, one of Mark’s buddies stepped forward, looking uneasy. “Hey, Mark, maybe we should just let him go,” the guy muttered. “This isn’t worth it, man. He’s not worth the trouble.”Mark shot him an irritated glare. “Shut up, Travis. I’m not done here.”Allvar could feel the tension rising, but he stayed silent, eyes lo